English Place-name Society

Survey of English Place-Names

A county-by-county guide to the linguistic origins of England’s place-names – a project of the English Place-Name Society, founded 1923.

Elton

Major Settlement in the Parish of Elton

Historical Forms

  • Eltun c1040 HSC early12th SD late12th
  • Eligtun c.1175 BM
  • Eltone 1242×3 Ass 1279 GD
  • eltone 1566 Wills
  • Elton' 1406 Pont 1438×9 Vis 1482 Spec
  • Elton 1291 Tax 1344etfreqto1609 IPM
  • the parrishin of Elton 1566 Wills 1630,1633,1703 CC 1720 HC/CB129/31
  • eltton, elkton 1566 Wills
  • Elleton 1264 Hatf 1313 RPD
  • Elleton' 1315 ib
  • Elten 1500 IPM
  • ecclesiarum de … Elleton 1313 RPD
  • ecclesias de … Elton' 1438×9 Vis

Etymology

'Eel farm, tūn where eels are obtained', OE  el + tūn . Identical with Elton Cheshire SJ 4575, Eltone 1086 PNCh 3255; Elton Cheshire SD 7259, Elton 1289 PNCh 2258; and Elton Derbyshire SK 2260, Eltune 1086 PNDb 364. Cf. also Elton Herefordshire SO 4571, Elintun 1086 for which OE  *ǣling , *ēling 'eel-place, eel-stream' is suggested, HePN 81.

The church (or churches) of Elton is mentioned ecclesiarum deElleton 1313 RPD, ecclesias deElton '1438×9 Vis.